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BlackBerry10….Ready For Licensing?

Just read an article over at Bloomberg stating that the BlackBerry10 OS will soon be ready for licensing. I have yet to decide if this is good move or not for BlackBerry and or the value it would bring to the current smart phone market.

Keep in mind that RIM will still continue make its own BlackBerry phones and products, but, has most likely made the decision to licence BB10.

As you know, I am a huge supporter of BlackBerry and there products , but, even this BlackBerry Boss sometimes questions certain moves and decisions made by RIM. Could this be the best way to get BB10 out to the market as quickly as possible, and, if so, which manufactures would support the OS?

I have no doubt that BB10 will be a much-needed phone and tablet OS with some “RIMarkable” features that will capture the attention of even the most hard-core BlackBerry Haters that exist. Only time will tell, and, the way the year is moving, the launch of BB10 will be upon us before you know it.

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I don’t think you can talk in terms of “Best move for RIM”. Licensing the OS is one of the ONLY moves RIM still has left to make, and, it’s doubtful that it would work to turn the company around.

What hardware manufacturer is going to pay RIM for the privilege of running BlackBerry 10 on their hardware?
Microsoft has a hard time getting manufacturers not named Nokia to create Windows Phone devices and it doesn’t have near the amount of baggage RIM does. RIM will have an equally hard time getting them to create BlackBerry devices.

The problem I have with BB OS 10 is the same one I think hinders them more than they will admit. You cannot just slap in your SIM or swap MEID and be on about your business. You must have a BB specific plan and you can’t access work e-mail server unless your employer utilizes a BES and Mobile Fusion. This makes ease of use lower than that of their competitors. Heck, I think you still need a BB plan to get MMS messages without data plan. Great for business. Not so great for consumer front. Using a BB on even SimpleMobile or Boost requires a premium of $10 additional. With devices being similarly priced, why should anyone get a BB (outside of them using it to communicate via BBM)? The value proposition isn’t there. The level field with the rest of devices is not there. Doesn’t matter who makes the hardware.

I’m not down with licencing the BlackBerry10 OS at least not at the start. If BB10 comes out the gate and blows people away I think BlackBerry will be just fine with its own hardware. Right now RIM is shopping the BB10 OS to carriers and from the responses read BB10 is a win. Regardless if RIM does licence BB10 or not, i’m just ready for something fresh and new.